𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐒 | 니키

一

ᶜʰᵃᵖᵗᵉʳ ¹

The alarm clock buzzed, stirring Jiwon from her sleep. A disgruntled voice sounded from her brother, who was growing increasingly annoyed, "Jiwon if you won't-".

With a mental eye roll, Jiwon shut off her alarm. This scene played out every school morning in the Yang household.

After making her bed, Jiwon followed her morning routine: getting dressed, styling her hair, brushing her teeth, and heading to the toilet. However, she found the bathroom door locked and heard her brother belting out tunes like he was performing at a whole damn concert.

Knocking twice, she called out to her brother to unlock the door. After many more attempts, she managed to hear the water stop running and the door unlocking, with a half-naked, towel-covered Jungwon blocking the passage.

"Say please," he teased, a snarky pout visible on his face. Jiwon, exasperated, muttered, "Please," and rushed into the bathroom.

While changing, Jiwon noticed a bloodstain on her underwear. She facepalmed, realizing she had forgotten about her period. Oh how she hates eeling like she was bleeding from her ass for a week, let alone the cramps. Searching for a tampon or pad, Jiwon found the last pad and resigned to herself that she'd have to change it before leaving for school.

Following her surprise, Jiwon grabbed her notebooks and school essentials before hearing her mother call out, "Breakfast is ready!" Unsurprisingly, the two siblings immediately scrambled to fight for the television remote, a common occurrence every morning. They never gave up the opportunity to win and took pride in teasing each other for their successes.

 Although it may have seemed odd to an outsider, these mini-routines helped the sibling bond and maintain a positive relationship.

After greeting their parents, the two siblings raced to take the remote. This time, Jungwon employed the strategy he called, 'push that h0e,' and easily won the remote. He danced and mocked his little sister, who accused him of cheating. Undeterred, he waved the remote in her face, saying she was just jealous.

 Jiwon sarcastically responded, "Whatever, I will just enjoy the food without the TV today."

Jiwon finished putting on her shoes when Jungwon called out, "Hurry up Jiwonnie!" Irritated, she replied that they wouldn't be late. Jungwon complained that she shouldn't call him "Jungwonnie" because it was "cringe." Jiwon then asked if he could stop calling her "Jiwonnie," but he responded that he thought it was cute and playfully booped her nose.

Jiwon rolled her eyes and began walking, with Jungwon following closely behind.

On the bus, Jungwon went to his group of friends, which included Riki, and Jiwon found her way to him. Excitedly calling out his name, Riki greeted her with a bright smile, and she responded with one of her own. The two hugged, and Riki lifted her and spun her around.
They failed to notice the other students' glares and Jungwon's friends' nonstop teasing and whispers.

However, the two rejected any notion of romance and claimed they were just friends. "Riki!" she called out his name, and it felt like honey on her tongue. With open arms, Riki welcomed her, and a smile lit up his face. "Jiwonnie" he exclaimed as he hugged her.

As the two friends rejoiced, they failed to notice the envious stares of the other students and the nonstop teasing and whispers of Jungwon's friends.

If it were anyone else, the two's daily friendly (🤨) behavior wouldn't raise any eyebrows. However, if asked, they would always deny any romantic interest and claim to be just friends. Jiwon and Riki have been friends since their elementary school days.

Before Jiwon met Riki, she was a new student in sixth grade. Since her older brother was in middle school, she felt alone. Everyone thought she preferred to be alone or hated everyone. Consequently, no one made an effort to start a conversation with her. Every school morning, she ate alone. Every lunchtime, she ate alone. Every break, she was alone. She returned home by herself, every single day.

During one break, Riki noticed Jiwon and wanted to ensure that she was okay before he went back to his friends. He didn't know how to approach her, but he knew he had to do something. He saw how miserable and lonely she was, and he even witnessed her crying a couple of times during lunch breaks, which broke his heart. One rainy day, after the final period, Jiwon had no umbrella and was about to walk home. She didn't want to burden anyone by taking the bus with her soaked clothes, so she decided to run. Before she could leave the building, she felt someone holding her wrist, stopping her from moving.

When she looked up, she saw Riki Nishimura, the popular kid whom every girl had a crush on except for Jiwon who didn't know him that much. She was surprised but delighted. The rest is history, and they have been inseparable since then.

They were already at school a few minutes later.Jiwon and Riki sat in the back, waiting for the students in the front to get off. Jiwon stood up first and stepped out.

Riki hurriedly removed his hoodie and tied it around Jiwon's waist. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she looked at him with a confused expression.What the heck? She thought, feeling butterflies from the sudden skinship."Here, take this," he said and pointed at the back of her pants with his finger.

A second later, Jiwon face-palmed herself for forgetting to change her pad that morning. "Oh, sh!t, I forgot to change!" Jiwon panicked."Why didn't you tell me that you're at that time?!" Riki whispered loudly, concerned.Of course, he would want to know when her menstrual cycle starts every month. That's the Riki she knew - very protective, concerned, and caring, the overprotective side of Riki. "Does your belly hurt? Are you uncomfortable? Look at me, how many fingers am I holding? " Riki questioned worriedly.

Jiwon blushed, but laughed it off at how silly he sounded. She wasn't shocked by his reaction, and in fact, she would be surprised if he didn't respond like that. "My stomach is fine. If I need help, I'll tell you. Thank you for being concerned about me, but every time I tell you I'm on my red days, you always overreact. It's just a period that happens to every girl, and you don't need to be so concerned," she said, attempting to calm him down.

Jiwon reassured Riki that her menstrual cramps were under control, but he couldn't help but worry. As the brother of multiple sisters, Riki knew how unbearable periods can be for some women.

Still, Jiwon insisted that she was fine and promised to ask for help if she needed it. Riki declared that his concern was simply a demonstration of his care for her, which made Jiwon blush. It was the final moment of the third period in their dance class. Riki, Jiwon, and their peers were seated on the dance studio floor, awaiting instruction from their coach.

As the coach began to speak, Riki couldn't help but feel disappointed by the prospect of yet another tedious class. "This is going to be so boring," he thought to himself, frustrated by the endless lecture. "Over the next few weeks, you will be partnering up to choreograph a dance routine together," the coach announced, drawing Riki's attention back to the present moment. Riki's gaze immediately shifted towards Jiwon, who was already staring at him.
They locked eyes, and without a word, they both knew they wanted to be paired together.

Before they could celebrate their unspoken agreement, the coach added one more requirement. "Your dance should evoke feelings and emotions, whether it's love, passion, or something else entirely. Let your creativity run wild, and make sure you express yourselves fully."Riki felt a spark of excitement at the challenge. He knew Jiwon was just as creative as he was, and he was eager to see what they could create together.

As the class ended, Jiwon and Riki approached the coach to inform her of their partnership. She wrote down their names on the list, and they couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for what was to come. The next few weeks promised to be anything but boring.